In client server networks having database servers, when a client desires to access one or more of the database servers the client requires communications information for each server. This communications information includes the protocols supported by the server and the protocol specific address information, which may include one or more items of data. For instance in networks using the TCP/IP protocol, the address includes a port number or service name and host name or IP address. Using the NETBIOS protocol, an Nname (workstation name) and local adapter is required. Using the IPX/SPX protocol, an internetwork address is required comprising an &lt;8 byte net ID&gt;.multidot.&lt;12 byte node ID&gt;.multidot.&lt;4 byte socket #&gt;. Using the APPC protocol, a significant amount of complex information is required for accessing databases connected to a network.
Considering the DB2 database management products introduced by IBM several years ago the establishment of a client server connection to access a database requires a user of a database client to have knowledge of a number of items of information. Before a connection can be established, the user must catalog a node and database directory. To catalog a node directory the user must have an intersection of the protocols supported by both the database client and database server, and enough protocol-specific communications information to communicate from the database client to database server. For example to connect to a DB2 server by using the TCP/IP protocol, the user must specify a host name or IP address, and a service name or port number in the node directory entry. To catalog a database directory the user must specify the database name. One of the problems inherent in this procedure is that it requires the user to know which databases are available and to have sufficient skill and communications information to catalog the entries required to access the database. It would be preferable for the database client to be able to simply identify the databases to which the user can have access and to simplify the mode by which the user can connect to those databases.